"How about ye walk Rose back to Mr. Meijer's house? She's got to get back on time." Ben suggested.

Rose nodded and started gathering her things, looking rather flustered.

"Aye, I can do that," he said with a smile. He decided to leave the basket for now and he would retrieve it later when the bread was gone.

Rose said goodbye to her family. Ben shook Andrew's hand, but Rose ushered the young man out as soon as she could. "Oh goodness!" She said, as soon as they had closed the door behind them. "I hope he didn't give a hard time!"

"Nay, nothing of the sort," he said and offered his arm. "He did bring up something we ought to speak about affore I ask ye a certain question. Would ye tell me about Simon?"

Rose was relieved - and hopeful - when he said it had been alright. She took his arm and they started walking, Rose all blushes and shy smiles. But at the mention of Simon, she let go of his arm. Her smile dropped. She walked slowly and eventually stopped. Rose had known she would have to tell Andrew about Simon, but it had been nice to ignore that for a while, and believe everything was perfect. Now that she was reminded of it, she was anxious. It was so unfair. She was so close to marrying a handsome and kind young man with a steady income, and now she could lose it all.

She avoided his eye. "I wasn't goin' to hide it from ye..." she said in a timid voice. "I just hadn't found the right moment yet, and now everything's goin' so fast..." She looked around and then took his arm to lead him to the entrance of an alley where they had a bit more privacy, and then, if he followed, she took a deep breath. "I had a brother called Simon," she began, still not daring to look at him. "He was always a rascal and a troublemaker, but when he grew up, it got worse... He and me father fought a lot. He used to come home late and drink and all, and we never understood. It's not how we've been raised at all. And then one day... He stabbed someone... A rich young man he had gotten into a fight with in a pub. The man died and Simon was hanged for it. So... we have a murderer in the family..." she ended in a small voice, She looked utterly miserable and dared not meet his eye.

Andrew tilted his head and said, "But his sin wasn't yers, Rose. Ye didn't stab someone, he did. If ye think that is goin' ta scare me away... well... I'm here, ain't I?" He moved closer to her and touched her hand. "Ye don't define yerself by somebody else's crimes, but for yer own actions. Thus far, ye have been nothin' but kind and wonderful and I would be proud to have ye on me arm as me wife if ye'll have me." His eyes were earnest as he peered at her, and he had blurted out his intentions toward her. It seemed like she was worried about him running away by her words about her brother and it just wasn't true. He meant what he said. "Marry me, Rose."

Rose could feel herself tremble and become sweaty. If Andrew rejected her, she didn't think she could bear it. But he didn't. She was so relieved and so touched by his words that she forgot herself and flung her arms around him, hugging him. Only then did the last words sink in, and her exultation was complete. "Yes! Yes, I will marry ye!"

He laughed and swung her around before setting her on her feet and giving her a chaste...ish... kiss on her lips. Twice. "Ye owed me two kisses." He grinned down at her and then grabbed her hand in genuine joy. "How long afore ye have to be home?" he asked, "Can I take me time walkin' ye?"

Rose had not expected the kisses, but she did not move away. Was she supposed to feel something? It wasn't like with Henry. She pushed that thought away. She had asked herself whether she should tell him, but she had decided not to. It would never need to come up. Rose forced a smile and gave Andrew a playful push. "The nerve!" she joked.

"We're early. Let's walk a little." And even if she did get back late, Rose felt a whole lot less afraid of Mr. Meijer now that she had the promise of a ring on her finger.

As much as the writer would like to say he pictured his apprentice when he kissed Rose, it was not so. Andrew was a practical man, he wanted a practical wife that he would one day love, and he wanted his life to be lived a certain way. Would the writer be lying if she said he wasn't attracted to said apprentice? Why yes, yes she would be. He was more attracted to the apprentice than he should be, but that was neither here nor there, for Andrew's mind was on the here and the now. "Aye, we can stroll along," he said, grinning from ear to ear.